Flagler grad charged with shooting murder of ex-boyfriend

JACKSONVILLE — Flagler College graduate Arianne Alexys Myles has been charged with murder in the shooting death of ex-boyfriend Harold Steven Davis.

Jacksonville police said Monday they have charged Myles, 22, with murder in the Sunday shooting death of Davis, 23, outside a post office at 7055 Blanding Blvd.

Police said Myles was driving by the post office about noon when she saw Davis. He had gone there to retrieve his family’s mail.

She turned into the parking lot.

“She pulled her car behind his, retrieved the weapon from the back seat, went out and confronted him and shot him numerous times, killing him,” homicide Lt. Rob Schoonover said.

The parents of Myles and Davis recounted a relationship that ended about seven months ago. Jasmine Dixon said she didn’t know much about the breakup or how much her daughter and Davis were still in contact.

Monday afternoon they learned that Davis had proposed to another woman Saturday. They said they didn’t know if Myles knew about the engagement.

Davis’ father said Myles broke up with his son twice during a year-and-a-half relationship. Both times, she wanted to get back together, he said, but his son refused the second time. About four months ago, his son retrieved some belongings from Myles.

He said Myles was told about his son’s new girlfriend.

“He moved on and she didn’t,” said Harold Davis, 54.

Davis said Myles came by their apartment complex and banged on their windows. He said the security guard had to get her to leave.

Davis said he had always been wary of Myles but his son was old enough to make decisions about girlfriends.

“She’d hit him every so often,” he said. “She’d punch him in the arm.”

He said his son told him Myles was a “power lifter” at some point.

Dixon said her daughter went to a gym for awhile but not with that in mind. As for any punching, that was likely nothing more than playfulness.

Dixon said her daughter was with them Sunday morning.

“She had breakfast and said she was going out to meet a friend,” she said.

Dixon knew who the friend was and it was not Davis, she said.

She next got a call from her daughter sometime after the shooting. She wouldn’t say what her daughter said but said she was distraught.

“The person I know and the person who did this is not the same person,” Dixon said.

Her daughter graduated from Flagler last fall and wanted to become an occupational therapist.

Dixon was not able to talk to Myles on Monday. She said she understood her daughter was in surgery for a broken arm.

Within the last year, Myles was admitted for a mental health observation but released 24 hours later with an explanation that the issues were not serious, her mother said.

“She said she needed someone to talk to,” she said.

Dixon said she did not know where a gun may have come from.

“We don’t own guns,” she said.

Harold Davis said his son had been working at an AT&T store selling cell phones and had been talking about children with his fiancee.

Now, he said, the family will be spreading his ashes on a North Carolina mountain.

Dixon said she has not been able to sleep.

“This is everybody’s worst nightmare,” she said.

When the shooting happened, retired Jacksonville police Sgt. Mark Shinholser was at a store across the street. He called it in as he began following Myles’ Ford Focus, Schoonover said. Police cars joined in and a brief chase ended when she crashed into a Toyota Camry at Timuquana Road and Seaboard Avenue.

“At that point, police were able to box her in with their cars,” Schoonover said.

A mother and child in the Camry had no injuries in the crash, Schoonover said. Myles suffered a broken arm either in the accident or while being taken into custody and was hospitalized after her arrest, he said. A woman was in the car with Myles when the shooting occurred, one of a number of witnesses, Schoonover said. She tried to call 911, then stayed behind and waited for officers to arrive.

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To the family of the accused: the person who did it is obviously your offspring. There is no denying like you said above. It is obviously past the point of my daughter could never do this; something happened and death occurred. It is done now and now two families are torn apart of something so senseless. She obviously had a gun or had access to a gun because someone died of a gunshot wound. This clearly sounds like the parents have a huge disconnect with reality and their daughter's actions. It is probably better to provide no statement right now than to provide a statement that makes you look like you do not know your own child. I understand denial is part of grieving, but the finality of this situation resulted in death. Another family lost their child.

To the family of the victim: Condolences to you and your family for your loss and hope you can find solace during such a difficult time.